Kalanchoe plant named Little Flame

ABSTRACT

A kalanchoe plant named Little Flame particularly characterized by its bright, clear red flower color; flower diameter of 13 to 15 mm at maturity; flowering response, from 10 weeks in summer to 12 weeks in winter after start of short days; very floriferous with excellent display of many flowers; excellent keeping quality of flowers and foliage; excellent branching with or without pinching; compact plant habit with small foliage; and recommended for flowering in 10 cm pots and smaller.

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive cultivar ofkalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana Poelln.,and referred to by the cultivar name Little Flame.

Little Flame, identified as 586-030, is a product of a planned breedingprogram which had the objective of creating new kalanchoe cultivars foryear-round commercial production having an earlier flowering response,well branched yet compact flowering plants, and good flower and foliagekeeping quality.

Little Flame was originated by the inventor Margaret M. Fleming from acontrolled selfing of the parent plant, an unnamed seedling identifiedas 403-253, (now referred to by the varietal designation Western Red,disclosed in pending plant application Ser. No. 385,163 by the presentinventor, in Half Moon Bay, Calif., in 1984.

Little Flame was discovered and selected as one flowering plant withinthe progeny of the stated selfing by Margaret M. Fleming in February of1986 in a controlled environment in Soquel, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Little Flame was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in Julyof 1986 in a controlled environment in Soquel, Calif., by Margaret M.Fleming.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successiveplantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for Little Flame are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Little Flame has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Soquel, Calif., under greenhouse conditions which approximatethose generally used in commercial greenhouse practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Little Flame, which, in combination,distinguish this kalanchoe as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Bright, clear red flower color.

2. Flower diameter of 13-15 mm at maturity.

3. Flowering response of from 10 weeks in summer to 12 weeks in winter,from start of short day treatments.

4. Very floriferous with excellent display of many flowers.

5. Excellent keeping quality of flowers and foliage.

6. Excellent branching with or without pinching.

7. Compact plant habit, with small foliage.

8. Recommended for flowering in 10 cm pots and smaller.

The accompanying colored photographic drawings show typicalinflorescence and leaf characteristics of Little Flame, with colorsbeing as nearly true as possible with illustrations of this type.

Sheet 1 is a color photograph showing in perspective view a plant ofLittle Flame grown as a non-pinched flowering kalanchoe in a 10 cm pot.

Sheet 2 is a black and white photograph showing the leaves of LittleFlame at three stages of development (mature, intermediate andimmature).

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar incomparison to Little Flame are the cultivars identified as Attraction,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,888, and Pollux, disclosed in U.S.Plant Pat. No. 4,816. In comparision to Attraction, Little Flame has aslightly smaller flower diameter, better flower color and better keepingquality of flowers and foliage. Attraction often shows an earlybreakdown of lower foliage, while Little Flame does not exhbit thisfoliar breakdown. Similar traits are the compact plant habit, floweringresponse and branching habit. In comparison to Pollux, Little Flame hasa much faster flowering response, by two to three weeks, and much betterresistance to mildew. Little Flame has a much higher productivity as astock plant in cutting production than Pollux. Similar traits are flowercolor and size, compact plant habit, and form and color of the foliage.

In comparison to the parent cultivar Western Red, the color of WesternRed is a deeper shade of red than Little Flame. Little Flame is morecompact in habit, has smaller foliage, smaller flowers, and a responseof 10-12 weeks from the start of short day treatment. Both Little Flameand Western Red have shown resistance to flower and foliar diseases, andboth have relatively long lasting flowers.

A further comparison can be made between the present cultivar andCinnabar, the female parent of Western Red. The flower color of Cinnabaris more of an orange-red compared with the red color of Little Flame.Cinnabar blooms a week earlier than Little Flame, but the keepingquality of the flowers of Little Flame is much better. The flowers ofLittle Flame are smaller in diameter, but more abundant. In addition,the leaves of Little Flame are smaller, more durable, darker green, andmuch less likely to degrade than the leaves of Cinnabar.

In the following description color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The very bright red color of theupper surface of the petals is not represented in the R.H.S. ColourChart, and the color values given are those closest to the actual colorof Little Flame. The color values were determined on plant materialgrown as a non-pinched pot plant in a 10 cm pot in Soquel, Calif., onOct. 23, 1988.

Classification:

Botanical.--Kalanchoe blossfeldiana Poelln. cv. Little Flame.

Commercial.--Flowering pot kalanchoe.

Parentage:

A controlled selfing of an unnamed seedling, identified as 403-253 nowidentified as Western Red.

Propagation:

(A) Type cutting.--Short tip cutting, with stems up to 2 cm.

(B) Time to root.--10 days at 21° C. in summer, 14 days at 21° inwinter.

(C) Rooting habit.--Many very fine roots, fibrous.

Plant Description:

(A) Form.--Short, compact, upright growth. Growing and schedulingpractices can produce a small plant in a 10 cm pot and smaller pot.

(B) Habit of growth--Rate of growth slow for this type of plant, with1-3 applications of 3500 ppm B-9 SP growth regulation being thepreferred regimen. Generally, shoots are formed at every node. Height ofplant above 10 cm. pot is 13-18 cm; internode length of vegetativenatural plant is 12-25 mm.

(C) Foliage description.--Leaves simple, opposite, slightly lobed. 1.Size: Average full grown leaf in a 10 cm flowering pot is small: 100 mmlong×45 mm wide. 2. Shape: Ovate to elliptic, apex obtuse to slightlypointed, base attenuate. 3. Texture: Glabrous, coriaceous, succulent. 4.Margin: Sinuate to crenate. 5. Color: Mature foliage: Upper surface 137Ato 137B. Under surface 138B to 138C. 6. Durability: Excellent, nodegradation observed, even on the lower foliage of plants retained formonths beyond normal expectancy.

Flowering Description:

(A) Flowering habit.--Inflorescence of each shoot is formed bydichotomous branching, starting with opening of terminal flower of mainaxis, followed by terminal flowers of the side branches, continuing withsubsequent development of branches in the inflorescence. Opening of newbuds (each of which is 10-15 mm. in length) will continue for two monthsor more. Individual flowers last two weeks or more after opening.

(B) Flowering response.--Flowering time under controlled daylength afterstart of short days is 10 weeks in summer to 12 weeks in winter.

(C) Flowers borne.--Compound dichasial cymes; peduncle length 5-10 cm.,diameter 3-7 mm.; pedicel length 4-6 mm., diameter less than 1.0 mm.

(D) Quantity of flowers.--Highly floriferous, with up to 100 flowers permajor inflorescence and 500 or more flowers per plant in a 10 cm. potproduced in accordance with commercial culture; high number of flowerson both main axis and side laterals, with 4 to 6 side laterals in a 10cm pot.

(E) Petals.--1. Shape: Slightly pointed to almost round. 2. Color: Uppersurface: Between 40A and 43A. Under surface: Base 38A, heavily streakedwith 41B. 3. Number of petals: 4, united in corolla. 4. Flower diameter:13 to 15 mm at maturity.

(F) Reproductive organs.--1. Stamens: 8 in number. a. Anther shape:Flat, elliptical, color yellow. b. Filament color: Light green. c.Pollen color: Yellow. 2. Pistils a. Stigma shape: Flat, crystalline,color greenish white. b. Style color: Light green. c. Ovaries: 4-celled,size 4 mm long, color light green.

(G) Keeping qualities.--Excellent; each flower lasts two weeks or moreunder normal conditions of finishing and holding.

Disease Resistance:

Resistant to Botrytis and Powdery Mildew; to date, chlorosis, necroticspots, stem rot, or root rot have not been observed, and Little Flamehas been trouble free.

Fragrance:

No perceptible fragrance of flowers or foliage.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct plant of kalanchoe named Little Flame, asdescribed and illustrated.